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| Wednesday, Feb 12, 2003 |
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Posted on February 12, 2003 Lawmakers can prepare political ground for interstate connector now The connector being studied by the Department of Transportation would link I-26 and I-85, traveling south and east of Spartanburg. The connector would open new areas for economic development. It would not only mean a great deal to the financial future of Spartanburg, it also would be a boon to Union and Cherokee counties. Greenville County as well could expect to benefit from the regional economic growth. It's unlikely that this expensive project will become a reality any time soon. It is still in the planning stages, and the state has no money for it. In a year when state budgets have already been cut almost 9 percent, including the most recent cuts which were made this week, it may seem odd to start planning and gathering support for a new road-building project that could cost $500 million. But it is time. Upstate lawmakers need to be ready when the economy improves and funds become available. Spartanburg lawmakers should be congratulated for pushing the project. They should continue their efforts by building a strong coalition. They can unify their colleagues from Cherokee and Union and explain the benefits to the Greenville delegation. They can line up support that will be needed to convince Lowcountry and Midland authorities to support the project. They can form a coalition to build this project that will be a force that has to be dealt with in designing any state capital plan or bond issue. They can contact federal authorities, working to get any federal funding for the project that may be available. They can put pressure on the Department of Transportation to make sure it continues working on the project, evaluating which of the eight identified routes would be the most feasible. Upstate lawmakers do not want to sit by and wait until funds become available before they start work on making this project a reality. The proposed connector could have a huge impact on the future economic growth of the Upstate. The region's representatives in Columbia should work hard to make it a reality. |
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